Question 1

1. What repertoire should we choose to sing?

Accepted Answer

For your choir’s 20 minute recital, you have free choice: just remember that you have 20 minutes to fill, and that the organ may not have much in the way of registration aids. For Evensong, the repertoire needs to be appropriate to a liturgical situation. For Evensong, you can perform: Introit (optional), Responses (which could be sung to plainsong, or said), Psalm (you can choose the psalm, up to the full BCP psalmody for the day; again this could be sung to plainsong or said), Canticles, Anthem, Hymn (optional).
In order to make sure there are no surprises, we ask that you provide, at the point of registration, a rough sense of the repertoire you might perform. This can be finessed and finalised later in the year, but the extra time allows us to help and advise you if necessary. It’s totally fine to repeat repertoire from Evensong in the recital, of course!

Question 2

2. Do we need to bring our own accompanist?

Accepted Answer

No! You are of course very welcome to do so, but the Festival can provide an accompanist for you, free of charge, if you request more than 90 days before the Festival. Remember that, for Evensong, the College to which your choir is allocated will wish to make sure that your accompanist is competent to use the organ safely, and so will ask for brief notes about their level of experience.

Question 3

3. Do we need to bring our own director?

Accepted Answer

We encourage you to bring your own director, as this will mean you’ll have a more personally tailored experience during your time in Cambridge. But we totally understand that for some choirs this may not be possible, and we are able, for an additional cost, to provide a director for you during your time in the Festival.

Question 4

4. Can I bring a school choir?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely, yes! In this case, however, all the members of your group will need to pay the adult booking price, as the reduced price is intended to make it easier for families to attend the course. The Festival will be in touch directly to ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place.

Question 5

5. What happens if not enough of my choir book?

Accepted Answer

If, a month after your choir has been registered, fewer than fifteen members of your choir has booked and paid their deposits, the Festival reserves the right to do one of two things: a) we might cancel your bookings entirely and return your deposit (though the choir’s registration fee will not be returned in this case); or, b) we might treat your individual booking as though you had booked without a home choir. In this case you and your choir members will be part of the Festival Choir, which will do all the same things as every other choir (but will have some extra rehearsal, of course). If in this second case, you do not wish to be part of the Festival Choir, you are of course at liberty to cancel your booking, but your deposit will not be refunded.

Question 6

6. I’m part of a very small choir. Can we come?

Accepted Answer

The Festival is intended for choirs larger than 15 singers; if you would like to come with a smaller group, please book as individuals into the Festival Choir. Subject to availability, it may be possible to accommodate smaller choirs, so please contact us to check. If your choir is larger than 15 people you are very welcome to choose whether to book as a choir or as individuals.

Question 7

7. I’m part of a large choir. Can we come?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Please contact us directly to make a booking. For large choirs (more than 50 singers), it may be difficult to accommodate everyone in the same College (though we will try!).

Question 8

8. I’ve paid my deposit; what if I can’t come but someone else from my choir wants to?

Accepted Answer

Don’t worry! If you’ve paid your deposit but discover you can’t come, but someone else from your choir is able to take your place, you can simply transfer your deposit to them. This is only possible up to the date of the final payment; after that point any name changes are subject to availability and an administration fee. Deposits cannot be transferred outside your choir. Deposits for participants in the Festival Choir are non-refundable.

Frequently asked questions